


A Fool's Journey

by wr3h



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Retelling, also forgive me for my stiff writing but this will be a good way to improve, i think it'd be more fun that way too, there will be a lot of changes to make it different, this is my first long fic i hope i stick with it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23652865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wr3h/pseuds/wr3h
Summary: A retelling of Persona 5 with several changes and additions. Several mentions of previous games will be present.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann, Okumura Haru/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	1. A Fool's Beginning

Akira Kurusu was in prison for a crime he did not commit. 

He clutched his head as he awoke, the rattling of chains worsened his headache. How fast had everything gone? 

In the dull black haze of his mind, his memories played like a photo reel. 

The woman crying for help in the dark alleyway. The drunken bald man with orange sunglasses dragging her arm, yelling threats to get his damn car. Akira standing between them like a shield. The man - from his own drunken stupor - injured himself. The venomous glare as Akira was dragged away by the police. The woman’s terror as she was forced inside the man’s car.

Akira learnt an important lesson that night; No good deed goes unpunished. His desire to save the woman gave him regret. 

Regret of doing the right thing. 

His parents were furious at their only child's future thrown away over a baseless claim. They tried everything to overturn the decision, but it all fell on deaf ears.  
There was some hope though. Akira remembered his parents whispering in his hushed tones in the kitchen. His mother pacing up and down with the phone glued to her ear. Her voice pleading for help. The relief on her face when the other side said yes.

He couldn't remember much else. Not liked it mattered anyway. He was stuck in a cell, ready to rot and waste away. 

But then Akira realized that was something wasn’t right. This feeling was...different. Taking a second glance around, Akira realized that he wasn’t inside a normal prison cell. Not when the walls were bathed in a velvet blue light. Not when he heard the faint sound of the piano and a woman singing opera. Not when two twin wardens stared at him. 

Two twin wardens. 

Two little girls. One was smiling. The other was sullen.

Where was he?

"Hey! Where-!"

Akira tripped. To his shock, he found that his left foot weighed down by a ball and chain. Stumbling up, he placed all his effort towards reaching the prison bars. He clasped onto them; his wide eyes fixed on the wardens.

“What is this?” he asked.

The wardens said nothing, instead leading Akira's gaze to face a pointy nosed man. He sat alone; his wooden desk filled with paperwork. The left side of his desk displayed a lamp, a purple quill and a microphone. 

"You're in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!" the smiling warden said. 

The man leaned towards his microphone and spoke, his voice booming.

"Trickster... I am delighted to make your acquaintance. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well.” he said.

Akira could hear him well, since there was a small speaker in the corner of his cell. 

"This is my Velvet Room. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a 'contract' may enter."

What contract!? 

"Why am I here, Igor? What do you want with me?" Akira asked.

"I summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well."

"Let me out. That's an important matter."

Igor chuckled. It was not the happy kind.

"This is a surprise." Igor said as he looked around. Akira noticed that there were other jail cells like his, all facing towards Igor's table. "The state of this room reflects your own heart...to think this room would appear as such. I much preferred the limousine of the previous guest."

Previous guest? Who was before him?

Igor then glared his giant eyes at Akira, a knowing smile on his face.

"You truly are a prisoner of fate. In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits."

Panic set in. Ruin? For what? Saving the woman's life? Doing the right thing? Was this his punishment?

"Are you kidding me!?”

"I speak of the end of everything. However, there is a means to oppose such a fate."

"How?"

"You must be rehabilitated. Rehabilitated towards freedom. That is your only means to avoid ruin. Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?"

Akira nodded with desperation, not realising what he was agreeing to.

The wardens had inched closer to Akira, like dogs ready to attack.

"Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others" Igor said. "To your right is Caroline; to your left, Justine. They serve as wardens here."

"A pleasure." Akira's voice dripped with venom towards Caroline. Justine gave a small laugh.

"I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion." Igor said.

The wardens stepped away from Akira's cell and back to their guarding positions.

"Now then, it seems the night is waning....it is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually..."

Igor motioned his hand as if he swatted a fly. Alarm bells suddenly rang, forcing Akira to look around his cell. What was happening?

"Time's up. Now hurry up and go back to sleep." Justine said.

"Wait! What-"

Akira woke up.

Saying goodbye was difficult, but Akira wasn’t too upset. He knew that he would be back in a year. It was the only mercy of his probation. He had to force himself off his mother’s bear grip, giving his father a quick hug as he ran towards the train. Any minute longer and it would have gone.

“I’ll call!” Akira said as he jumped in the carriage. It almost slammed shut in his face.

Akira could see Yasoinaba train station and his parents, fade away. His life would now take him to Tokyo, where uncertainty clouded over him. He scratched his neck. The white turtleneck of his new school uniform was clinging on like a leech. With nothing better to do, Akira took his phone out.

Phone….

A sharp pain forced Akira awake. He wasn’t on the train at all. He left a long time ago. But why was he dreaming of it?

"Why can’t I-” Akira groaned. 

His wrists were in cuffs with water dripping down the tips of his curly locks. Akira’s eyes had no time to adjust to the dull grey room as his head slammed to the floor.

His vision went black again….

Akira arrived on the platform to Yongen Jaya and spent a good 20 minutes trying to find his new house. He asked everyone around the neighbourhood for the location of “Mr Sakura”. Some knew, some didn’t. There were small and narrow alleyways, with several shops and business next to each other. Akira had made a mental note to remember where they all were. He had even spotted the local clinic tucked away. The exploration trip reminded Akira of his own neighbourhood. Small and quiet. He liked that.

His guardian, as he found out, was currently working at his café, LeBlanc. Akira took a step inside. The bell rung. How cute. When he entered, the strong musk of coffee beans hit Akira’s nose. The whole design of the shop screamed retro. Wooden floors and booths, small paintings and even some faint TV noise. 3 people turned to look at him. An old couple and a man serving them. In a pink apron.

The old couple took their cue to exit, leaving Akira alone with the man.

That man was Sojiro Sakura. He kept an almost slick appearance with a curled goatee and thick rimmed glasses. He also had somewhat of a slouch. Akira reckoned he was around his mid-fifties at best. But what surprised Akira was his voice. It was as smooth as honey.

“So. You’re Akira Kurusu?” Sojiro asked.

Akira nodded. He wanted to play it safe. No doubt Sojiro knew about the incident and his probation from his parents. He had a gut feeling they exaggerated the “assault” for dramatic flair. Sojiro stroked his beard, shrewd eyes scanning the 17 year old. He said nothing, instead motioning Akira to follow him upstairs towards the attic.

The wooden floors were dusty and rubbish bags laid astray. The attic was in a terrible shape, and Akira was immediately disgusted at the state of it. A lonely plant stood by an open shelf. No one had bothered to feed or water the plant for how many months. Akira already felt a strong bond with it.

“This is your room.” Sojiro said.

This has to be a joke. Did Sojiro not care about him? To not even bother making some decent living accommodation? No way was Akira going to sleep here! He was going to protest.

“Thanks.” Akira said

Dammit. If only he had more guts….

Akira woke up again, where one of the officers gave him a paper and pen.

“Sign this. It’s a confession under your name.”

Telling the officer to go to hell, as it turned out, was not the appropriate answer.

After recovering from having his stomach kicked in, Akira scribbled on the paper.

Ren Amamiya. It was the first name that popped in his head. Perhaps once he escaped the police, he could use it as an alias. There were a lot of names he could use…

He was then seated. A silver haired woman had entered the room. Sae Nijima. It wasn’t the first time they met, but sitting across from him made Akira realise her resemblance to Makoto.

They both shared the same blood red eyes

“Those bastards.” Sae had noticed the syringes sprawled across the floor. Akira was rubbing his neck. He could still feel the punctures in his skin.

“Can you hear me?” Sae asked. “We don’t have enough time. I only just managed to convince my way in here. So please, for both of our sakes, I need you to answer honestly.”

Sae leaned forward.

“Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.”

Akira wasn’t sure how Sae would believe his story. Especially if he was describe what shadows or cognitions were. Some of the fog in his mind cleared up. He remembered what had happened after meeting Sojiro for the first time.

“I was on my way to school. It was my first day. When I left the train station, it was raining.”

Akira found his heart racing. Maybe he should skim this part….

The downpour was heavier than expected. Akira stood under a large clothing shop, the wide canopy gave him time to figure out his next move.

“Why didn’t I get my umbrella!” a girl yelled as puddles splashed around her.

“I told you! I told you!” her friend yelled back, laughing.

Akira checked his phone. That annoying red eye app appeared again, staring. Why wouldn’t it delete? With the flick of his thumb, it was gone. Akira sighed. How long would the rain let up before he could travel again?

A hooded figure stood next to Akira from the corner of his eyes. With caution, Akira hid his phone away. Was this a mugger? He had heard it was a common thing in bigger cities like Tokyo. But to his relief, he saw that it was instead a girl. Somewhat shorter than him, but looked to be around his age.

While her hood was up, she wore bright red leggings and a skirt that matched the Shujin uniform. Her white hood had a clover drawn on it. Akira relaxed. There was nothing to worry about. He took his phone out again.

The girl then took her hood down and Akira felt his breath stop.

To be simple, this girl was beautiful. Words like ‘cute’ or ‘pretty’ weren’t accurate enough to describe her. Platinum blonde hair in long flowing pigtails with a yellow hairclip above her left ear. Akira could tell she was mixed race, because he had never seen blue eyes before. They almost shone in the rain.

The only other girl that Akira found beautiful was the idol Rise Kujikawa. But seeing this girl? She took the spot.

And then she looked at him. Looked at how dumb he looked with his mouth half open, trying to say something. She smiled, and looked away. Akira did the same. He probably made her feel weird.

A car stopped in front of them. The window lowered, and Akira saw a square jawed man with hair like his own, look at the girl. Who was he?

“Hey!” the man said in a very friendly voice. “Need a lift?”

The girl opened her mouth but stopped. She looked at Akira for a brief second.

“Yeah sure!” she said. “I’ll see you at the corner?”

The car went to the left turning and waited.

The girl looked at Akira again, and he felt his voice losing himself.

"Are you a new student?" the girl asked.

"Uh...yeah. Yeah. I'm Akira Kurusu."

The girl smiled. Wow.

"I'm Ann Takamaki. You know, you're the first guy that hasn't said anything about my looks."

"Yeah well I...I thought it'd be rude, y'know?" Akira scratched his forehead as he gave a sheepish smile.

Ann giggled. That was nice. Akira should try a joke.

"I'll see you soon then?"

"Yeah..."

Ann left the canopy, hand over her head to protect her from the rain. Akira wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but he could have sworn he saw Ann frown. As if she didn't want to leave. What happened?

Akira heard footsteps. Becoming louder and louder as the rain poured.

It was a blonde haired boy struggling to breathe as he grunted. His leg looked to be in pain.

"Dammit!" he yelled. "Screw that pervy teacher!"

"Pervy teacher?" Akira said in confusion.

The blonde boy turned to look at Akira.

Uh oh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey thanks for reading! This is the first time I've ever tried to write something BIG and I feel like theres a lot of choppiness and awkwardness to it. But at least I finally finished this chapter! Hopefully the next chapter will read better.


	2. Awakening

The blonde boy squared up to Akira, eyebrows scrunched and hands clenched. Sensing a fight, Akira did the same with his left foot forward. Whoever threw the first punch would win. 

“What do you want?” the boy said. “You plannin’ on rattin’ me out to Kamoshida?”

The question deflated any sort of confidence he had.

“What do you mean?” Akira asked. Who was he talking about?

“Huh? In the car just now. It was Kamoshida. He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is – the king of a castle? Don’t you agree?”

They were both standing awkwardly.

Akira felt his phone vibrate but ignored it. 

“…Which castle?” 

“No, I mean…” 

The boy crossed his arms. Akira could try and make a break for it now.

“…wait. You don’t know about Kamoshida? Are you for real? You’re from Shujin right?”

It then dawned on Akira how little he was paying attention. Like himself, the boy was also from Shujin. It was the fact that he made some changes to his uniform was what made Akira unaware. Unlike Akira’s, the blonde boy wore a bright yellow shirt with a red star instead of the white turtleneck. His blazer jacket was also torn and creased.

“Uh….yeah I think so?”

“You messin’ with me? You’re wearing a Shujin uniform.”

“I'm a transfer student." "Second year." "My name's Akira."

"Oh, we're in the same grade then. Name's Ryuji. Never seen you around though." 

Akira explained that he moved from Inaba several days ago. A look of understanding washed over Ryuji.

"Ohhh you're from the countryside? Yeah that makes sense then. I was wondering what was up with your accent."

"I don't have an accent." Akira said defensively.

"Yeah you do dude. You got like, a bit of a drawl when you speak."

Before Akira could reply with a comeback ("Oh yeah? Well YOU have dumb hair.) Ryuji motioned him to follow.

"This rain ain't too bad. We better hurry up, or we'll be late."

A thumping headache hit Akira. He saw a haze of purple as clutched his head. Somehow, Ryuji went through the same thing.

The two boys both felt light-headed.

"Dammit...I wanna go home." Ryuji groaned with heavy steps. Akira followed.

Ryuji took Akira through some narrow alleyways, his shoes splashing in the rain. 

After several sharp turns, Ryuji stopped walking. Akira had assumed they reached the school.

Except….it was a castle.

No matter how many times Akira rubbed his eyes, it didn’t go away. A centuries old European castle with lavish red and gold bricks sat in the middle of modern Tokyo. Thick purple fog wrapped over the castle like a blanket. The scale of it was giving Akira neck pain the higher he looked. 

“Uh…Ryuji…does Shujin have a medival theme going on this week or-?”

“No dude! This ain’t it! But…we came the right way? I take this route everytime and...”

Ryuji took out his phone to see if it was the same address, but there was no signal.

“The eff…?”

“Guess we got no choice but to go inside.” Akira said.

With caution, the two boys head inside, walking across the wide drawbridge laid out for them. Inside was an entrance hall stretching far and wide. A large chandelier dangled above them. A large paining of a muscular man – the king, was to display at the top of the staircase. Was that Kamoshida?

“What the hell is this?” Ryuji exclaimed as he looked around. Akira followed. Large thudding footsteps stopped them in their tracks.

It was a knight. He bore an English sword and shield, with a green mask.

“Geez, you freaked me out. Who are you? You a student?” Ryuji said.

He stepped closer to the knight, much to Akira’s disbelief. Two minutes inside a castle and this is what he does?

“Wait, Ryuji, don’t! -”

“Man, your costume’s impressive…is that armour real?”

The knight did not answer.

“C’mon, don’t just stand there. Say something!” Ryuji’s temper flared up with his arms crossed.

Another knight appeared. Then another. An entire circle had formed around the two boys. They found themselves back to back. 

“Hey…what’s going on?”

“This is real isn’t it..” Akira said, his voice hoarse.

The knights raised their swords.

“Dude. Fuck all this. We gotta run.” 

But before they could, a shield bashed Ryuji’s face, knocking him down to the marble floor. 

“Take them away!” the knight spoke. In a swift motion, the two boys found dragged downwards. Light was disappearing.

…

“Hey! Akira! Wake up!” 

With a groan, Akira pulled himself up. He found himself sitting next to Ryuji in a brick prison cell. Broken barrels laid in the corners, and the left side of the wall displayed long handcuffs. Akira found himself holding his own wrists.

“You all right?” Ryuji asked.

“Yeah…you?”

Ryuji sighed. “Yeah. More or less.”

“Hey! Akira! Wake up!” 

With a groan, Akira pulled himself up. He found himself sitting next to Ryuji in a brick prison cell. Broken barrels laid in the corners; the left side of the wall displayed rusty chains covered in blood. Akira found himself holding his own wrists for comfort.

“You all right?” Ryuji asked.

“Yeah…you?”

Ryuji sighed. “Yeah. More or less.”

Seconds passed before Ryuji bolted to the door, shaking the bars with all his strength. 

"Hey, let us outta here! I know someone's out there!"

Only the wind answered back.

"Dammit!" Ryuji kicked the door as he turned back. "How the fuck is there a castle in the middle of freaking Tokyo!"

Before Akira could answer, a blood-curdling scream filled the hall.

"The-the hell was that!?" Ryji panicked.

More screaming.

"Fuck! Akira. We need to get out. Now!"

In fear, the two boys scurried around like rats, hands clawing over bricks to escape. They checked the floor and the barrels, but there was only dirt.

"Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon." a guard spoke. "Your charge is unlawful entry. The punishment is death."

"No! You can't do that!" Ryuji yelled.

"No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle." a familiar voice spoke. 

It was Kamoshida. 

King Kamoshida. 

He stood tall, wrapped in a cloak with hearts, a crown and shiny red shoes. That was it. Akira almost threw up as he realised that Kamoshida was naked under that cloak. Even worse, he glared with mustard yellow eyes.

“I thought it was some petty thief, but to think it’d be you, Sakamoto. Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven’t learnt your lesson at all, huh?” Kamoshida gave a leering smile. His head turned to face Akira. “And you brought a friend this time…because you can’t do anything by yourself.”

“This ain’t funny you asshole!”

“Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don’t understand the position you’re in at all.”

With the flick of Kamoshida’s wrist, the cell door opened. Akira and Ryuji had no choice but to retreat to the corner. The guards trudged towards them, ready to swing their swords.

“God dammit!” Ryuji roared as he tackled a guard down. “I ain’t down for this shit! C’mon, we’re getting outta here!”

Another guard stepped it, slamming the sword hilt into Ryuji’s stomach.

“Ryuji!” Akira yelled as he tried to reach him. 

“Go! Get out of here! These guys are serious!”

“Oh?” Kamoshida spoke. “Running, away are we? What a heartless friend you are.”

But Akira couldn’t run, even if he wanted to. His legs glued and his breathing was becoming haggard.

Kamoshida stepped forward, standing over the crouched Ryuji and slapped him. He slapped him the second time. The third time. The fourth time. And Akira did not do anything to stop it.

“I’ll have you killed right now.” Kamoshida dusted his hand.

“Have you lost your mind!?” Akira yelled. His fear had morphed to anger.

“What?” Kamoshida turned, his face inches away from Akira. “Don’t you dare tell me you don’t know who I am?”

Akira scowled. This man was truly evil.

“That look in your eyes irritate me!” 

Akira’s chest almost caved in through a kick towards the wall. Groaning, two guards had him pinned.

“Hold him there. After the peasant, it’s his turn to die.”

No! This can’t end like this!

Akira yelled as he flailed around, but he was too weak to move. The guards simply held him tighter. Ryuji started to sob, begging for his life to be spared. Akira had to do something. Anything!

His vision started to blacken. A voice spoke. It sounded like a child’s voice. A pleading girl.

“This is truly an unjust game…your chances of winning are almost none.” A glowing blue butterfly appeared, fluttering past Akira’s face. “But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you…”

In a flash, it disappeared.

Another voice took its place. It was quiet, yet each word was filled with anger, boiling inside Akira’s brain.

“What’s the matter? Are you simply going to watch? Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then?”

His mind flashed back to Inaba. The woman he failed to save. The police dragging him away.

“It…it wasn’t…” Akira whispered.

Ryuji was being choked out, seconds away from being impaled. Akira roared as he did everything in his power to free himself.

“Very well.” The voice spoke. “I have heeded your resolve.”

A searing pain shot through Akira’s head. He couldn’t hear what the voice was saying as he screamed. Every second he screamed.

“Vow to me.” The voice demanded. “I am thou, thou art I…Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilleogus acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage!”

The pain stopped. Akira breathed hard.

The voice gave a final demand.

“Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!”

A gust of wind circled Akira as his eyes bulged out. It knocked away the guards and forced Kamoshida to turn around. Ryuji was also confused at what was happening.

A birdlike domino mask was glued onto Akira’s face. Without hesitations, Akira ripped it off. He yelled as the skin broke, wet blood dripped down his cheeks.

And yet…this felt right. This feeling…this freeing sensation was amazing. Akira smiled. He smiled like the devil as blue flames enveloped his body. 

“Persona!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi sorry for the long delay. Writing is very difficult for me but I finally got this chapter done!


	3. Escape

“Akira!” Ryuji felt the familiar wave of panic when he was six, forced to witness his mother crying. He was helpless to stop his father beating her. Sometimes, he was on the receiving end. 

But now, Ryuji was old enough to do something. He wouldn’t stand by and watch someone else suffer. He tried to reach Akira, but the roaring fire shoved him aside. 

He scrambled back up. 

“Hang on man! I’m gonna get you outta there! I swear I’ll-” 

The fire grew, almost as if it was telling Ryuji; Akira didn’t want to be saved. Its flames changed to a chlorine blue, then a sunflower yellow. White light then exploded, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. 

When it was safe to look, they saw a phantom thief. A long black coat with the tails touching his curved boots. His head hung as he cupped his domino mask, ready to tear it off. 

“Come! Arsene!” 

A silhouette basked in volcanic red appeared. It sported a top hat and a regal coat, matching Akira’s own flair. A jagged torso like barbed wire, claws for hands and feet. Its face hovered in a glass chamber, flickering like candle light. Draconic wings jutted out, blocking anyone from escaping. 

Arsene cackled as his claw pointed towards the guards.

“Slash them! Cut them! Swing your blade as you please! Show those who dare to inflict evil on the weak!” 

Akira obeyed, slicing through them. The pristine shine of his dagger became muddy with crimson. The stone tiles dripped with blood. 

Ryuji was petrified. This was Akira? The country boy that couldn’t even figure out they were school mates? But that fear disappeared as a guard faded away in black mist. Ryuji breathed. He had forgotten none of this was real. They were both stuck in an imaginary castle. Akira wasn’t a murderer. 

King Kamoshida stood alone, whimpering at the sight in front of him. In a few more seconds, he would be dead. He cried for more guards. 

Arsene disappeared, cackling at the work his master performed. Like a switch, Akira’s craving for violence disappeared. Akira noticed a key, inches from Ryuji’s foot. He did the same.

Ryuji grabbed the key as the boys dashed to escape. King Kamoshida was too slow to realise, finding himself a prisoner. 

“Damn you, damn you! Guards! I demand you to come at once!” the King yelled. But no one came. 

Ryuji threw the key. It sank in the sickly-green river that surrounded the cells. He gave two middle fingers to the King. 

“That’s what you get, you bastard!” 

The boys ran as far as they could. They took a minute to catch their breaths, slumping on a nearby wall. Akira’s costume disappeared, wearing his Shujin uniform again. 

“Dude….” Ryuji gulped air as he tried to speak. “What the fuck….was that….that whole shit about…” 

Akira wasn’t sure how to answer. 

“I don’t….I don’t know….but we shouldn’t-“ 

“Help! Someone help!” 

Following the pleas for help lead the boys to another cell. It’s occupant? A plush-like cat with a yellow scarf. It was actually quite cute, but Akira kept that comment to himself. 

Ryuji, as always, was first to speak. 

“Is that a fucking talking cat? What the fuck. Akira. What the fuck is this.” 

“I am not a cat!” the plush yelled. “My name is Morgana! I got ambushed by the guards and I need your help. You guys are trying to escape too right? I know where the exit is!” 

“Aw hell no I don’t trust this thing. I bet it’s a trap that Kamoshida set up. Akira, don’t fall for it man.” 

“How can I be your enemy if I’m locked up? Stupid monkey. Hey, frizzy hair! Lemme out!” 

Akira’s heart melted seeing Morgana. He really was just a kitten. He unlocked the cell door and received grateful purrs in exchange. He was desperate to stroke the cat. 

“At least someone’s smart around here.” Morgana said. He then pointed towards a nearby door. “Alright. Follow me and I’ll get you two out!” 

“What about you?” Akira asked. 

“I still need to get some answers about the Palace. Whatever questions you got, tell me tomorrow. I’ll come find you guys on the other side.” 

The two boys nodded and followed Morganna as they arrived in a storage room. Ryuji wanted to strangle Morganna. 

“There’s nothing here! I told you Akira, that stupid cat don’t know shit!” 

“Frizzy hair.” Morganna ignored Ryuji. “Where’s the exit.” 

Akira looked up and saw a vent. 

“There.” 

Morganna nodded in approval. 

“You have a lot of potential. Make sure you teach the monkey how to use his eyes when I see you tomorrow.” 

Morganna made his way back as the two boys climbed to their escape. 

“I can’t see shit.” Ryuji grumbled. “I mean how is this gonna – woah!” 

They fell through the red skin of the nightmare reality as it tore into shreds. They groaned as they stood up, realising they were back in the real world. The castle was gone. They stood several streets away from Shujin. Ryuji pinched himself, just to make sure. 

“Oh thank God. This is real. We’re back and no one’s gonna kill us. All we gotta do is…” 

He looked at Akira, his eyes somehow wider than his head. 

“What time is it?” 

Akira took his phone out. Why would Ryuji be so worried? They were only in the castle for maybe 10 minutes. 

His heart sank. 

“12:30.” 

“FUCK.” 

Ryuji grabbed Akira’s phone arm, racing to the school gates. In their rush, Akira found himself squashed between dozens of crowds. Why were there so many people standing around? Sure, Inaba was kinda like this during the festival season, but this was far too many! 

They arrived, sweaty and exhausted, only to be greeted by a rather portly teacher with a furrowing brow. 

“Aw shit, it’s Mr Ushimaru.” Ryuji hissed. “Uh hey, look sir, this guy took the wrong train so I had to help him get around the Ginza Line! We all know that line is a mystery so I had to try and-” 

“Quit your excuses, Sakamoto!” Ushimaru yelled. “You think I was born yesterday? You’ve used the Ginza line trick a dozen times already. I have every mind to drag you to the Principal’s office and-” 

“What’s with all the noise over here?” 

It was Kamoshida. 

“Y-you!?” Ryuji almost freaked out at the sight of him. Except…he wasn’t dressed in his royal attire. No. It was just…Kamoshida the gym teacher. Akira noted just how wide he was. Was he an athlete before he became a teacher? 

“Kamoshida! You tell Sakamoto that-” 

“Don’t worry. I’m on it. You head inside.” 

Kamoshida scowled at Ryuji. Likewise, Ryuji clenched his fists, rearing for a fight. Akira spotted that his leg was shaking again, but said nothing. Kamoshida’s attention then turned to him. 

“Haven’t I seen you before?” he asked. 

Akira nodded. “This morning. When it was raining. You offered me a ride in your car.” 

“Oh yeah. You’re the new transfer student.” Kamoshida gave a warm smile, but Akira knew it was a front. “Welcome to Shujin Academy. My advice? Stay away from Sakamoto and you won’t be late again.” 

“Listen you ASSHOLE I just said the Ginza line is a fucking mystery and -” 

Akira grabbed Ryuji’s arm, his eyes pleading him to calm down. Kamoshida smirked. He carried on his nice act. 

“I’ll have to take you to the teacher’s lounge. Your homeroom teacher has been worried sick about you! Sakomoto. Go to class.” 

Not given much choice, the boys split. Ryuji took a left down the hallway while Akira followed Kamoshida upstairs. The school itself felt familiar. There were no stone floors or chandeliers, but the layout was still same. He wondered which room would have been their cell. Did he awaken his Persona in the bathroom? 

They arrived on the second floor. The hallway was still empty. He figured that classes were still underway. Akira noticed a girl with a brown bob cut with scarlet eyes, talking to a group of students. They were all standing outside the library. She seemed to be a leader of some sorts, shuffling several papers and pointing at different directions. 

Akira arrived outside the teacher’s lounge. He tried to approach, but was stopped by Kamoshida’s iron grip on his shoulder. 

“Y’know what’s funny?” Kamoshida’s spoke with fake politeness. “I took a nap earlier and I had the weirdest dream. There was this…annoying brat that looked like you.” 

Akira’s throat was dry. Did Kamoshida know? 

“And this brat…this brat had a friend that looked like Sakamoto. And it’s really soured my morning. Promise me you won’t act like him, ok?” 

Akira nodded so fast, his fake glasses almost flew. He squeaked as Kamoshida left him.

Trying not to dwell on being threatened, he knocked. When he entered the lounge, there was a teacher already waiting for him. Dressed in a bright yellow sweater with hair messier than Akira’s own curls. The clothes didn’t suit her. She was exhausted, her eye bags prominent. It was Sadayo Kawakami. Akira remembered seeing her when he first registered to Shujin.

Her face was a mix of irritation, betrayal and fury. 

“Do you know what time it is?” she asked, her voice almost breaking from stress. 

He wanted to say 12:30, but bit his tongue.

“I got lost.”

“How? How did you get lost when you have a phone that can literally tell you anything?”

Akira chose his next words carefully. 

“The Ginza line.”

Miraculously it worked. Kawakami sighed in resignation. 

“Right. That line is hard to understand the first few times.”

Wordlessly, Akira followed Kawakami. They stood outside a classroom, which Akira assumed to be his homeroom. Class 2-D.

Kawakami’s voice dropped to a whisper, as if she was being watched.

“When we go inside, only say your name and sit down.”

“Why?”

The teacher fumbled with her sleeves, only making Akira confused.

“Your… incident at your hometown was leaked. Everyone knows.”

Akira’s vision blurred. 

“What? What…what do you mean?”

Kawakami’s face scrunched up in pity.

“We’re currently investigating into the matter. Please be aware that some of the students will be… unfair to you for now. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do for you right now.”

With a shaky breath, Akira entered his homeroom. A sea of black hair students turned silent as they faced him. Several sitting in the back whispered. 

“Is that him?”  
“The transfer student?”  
“I heard he killed someone.”  
“Shut up. He did?”

His hands dug deep into his pockets as he stood, bearing the brunt of judgmental eyes glaring at him. 

“Please introduce yourself.” Kawakami spoke clinically.

“Hello. My name is Akira Kurusu. Nice to meet you all.”

He gave a small smile. He didn’t receive any back.

“Please take a seat by the window there.”

There was another surprise for Akira. Ann Takamaki was his classmate.

“Hey you’re-”

Ann didn’t even face him, her gaze fixed at the window.

More whispering. 

Akira’s seat was behind Ann’s. It was hard not to look at her. Well, the back of her at least.

When class ended, Ann was the first to leave. Her steps were sharp, and she made no attempts to speak to Akira. He tried to follow her, but instead stumbled into Ryuji who was hanging by the stairs.

“Yo! Perfect timing. Meet me at the roof.”

“Now? But-”

“Yeah man, now! I gotta tell you something!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhhhh I'm sorry for going months away again. But I have a better idea on how things should go now! Please excuse me for the writing again orz


	4. Chariot

The school rooftop gave Akira time to relax. Free from fervent whispers and unrelenting glares stabbing him at each corner. Was this what living in the city was like? The April wind blew past his face, awakening him from his thoughts. There was something more important than the opinions of Tokyo teenagers. Out there, somewhere, was an entire other world, filled with shadows and Personas.

But what is a Persona?  
Where do they come from?  
Were they created by Igor?

The warning of ruin he spoke of…was this preparation for a kind of war?

“Yo, Akira! Sit down, man. I got stuff to tell you.” Ryuji beckoned with a wave.

Unlike Akira, whose brows furrowed and with his teeth clenched, Ryuji seemed to have no such worry. The breeze tickled his hair. Both of Ryuji’s feet laid on a rusty table that had seen better days. He leaned so far back on his chair, another inch would result in him falling. Akira also realized that behind Ryuji was a collection of plants. The sheer quantity of them was making it close to resembling a garden centre.

“What is it?” Akira asked, letting his jaw relax.

“So, like, I looked up what a Persona was, and I found 2 things. The first one was some boring psychology shit about a guy called Carl Jung? Didn’t care for it. But the other one? It was about this ‘Persona’ game a bunch of kids did wayyyy back in the ’90s.”

Ryuji moved his feet down as Akira sat opposite him, leaning with a fevering desire to know more.

“What Persona game? Where was it? Was it recorded?”

Ryuji’s grin almost reached his ears.

“It was in some place called Mikage-Cho. Appaaaarently, these kids our age went around a room shouting ‘Persona!’ and then they got them! So, it got me thinking since we’re on the roof… what if I get a Persona right now!”

Akira scratched his head. “Uh. I don’t know if that’ll work, man.”

“Huh? Whaddya mean?”

“Well…what if the rules were different back then? Like the ’90s was a long time ago. You saw where I got my Persona right? The castle isn’t even real.”

“But I don’t wanna go back there! C’mon man, do it with me.”

“But I already have-”

“Help a brother out!”

The humiliation crawling from Akira’s neck worsened as Ryuji marched, passing every corner yelling “PERSONA!”. God. Can he please stop?! Thankfully, Akira's prayer became realised as Ryuji stopped. He then stretched out his arms to the sun, like he was some kind of sacrificial lamb.  
Nothing happened.

“What the fuck! Where’s my Persona?!”

“I told you, man.”

“Nah, fuck that! I know there’s a way of getting it. Shit. How did you get yours again?”

“Arséne only called me when I was under extreme pressure. Right before the guards were about to kill me.”

“Who’s Arséne?”

“My Persona.”

“The fuck kinda name is Arséne.”

Akira wasn’t sure how to answer. He was sure he heard that name before. A book title? He made a mental note to research it.  
“Look it doesn’t matter. You can’t replicate the feeling of near-death while we - Ryuji what are you doing!?”

Ryuji was standing on the roof edge.

“Alright bro, I’m gonna try to fall, but you catch me!”

Ryuji lost his balance and screamed.

Akira dashed, grabbing the scruff of his garish yellow shirt and pulled him back to safety. Akira fell on his back while Ryuji’s face smacked the concrete.

“Ow. Okay...maybe….oh shit my leg….that wasn’t a good idea…”

“You think?! Why isn’t there some kind of safety mesh here?”

Ryuji moved himself to the nearby wall where Akira was resting.

“C’mon man. No one’s gonna do anything stupid up here. There’s no reason.”

“I can think of one.”

Ryuji’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Whaddya mean?”

“Well let’s see!” Akira's found himself shouting to the sky. “My private info got leaked. So of course, everyone in this school thinks I’m some sort of lost cause! Hell, I   
bet everyone in this damn city knows!” 

Ryuji took a few seconds to think about his response.

“What was it about?”

“My criminal record.”

Ryuji winced.

“Hey uh...I know it’s not the same but like...I get it..”

Akira didn’t answer. Ryuji had to fill the silence as he scratched his head, unsure of how to elaborate. Words were never his strong suit.

“I mean, I don’t wanna make it some kinda sob story, but people think I’m a joke now. After I...left the track-team.”

“What happened?”

Ryuji shifted his shoulders away.

“...Stuff. It was my fault but….anyway, I found out fast how people don’t give a shit about you. No one on the track team wanted anything to do with me afterwards so...I dyed my hair so people would at least look at me again. Even if they think I’m some punk. It’s better than nothing.”

“You’re not a punk, Ryuji.”

“Yeah? What am I then?”

“You’re the only decent guy in this school. You almost threw your life away for me at the castle and I can’t forget that. I won’t forget that. I gotta make it up to you.”

Another silent pause. Ryuji looked away again, moving his arm to his face. He stood up. Akira did the same. Only then did Ryuji turn back to face him, his eyes somewhat red around the edges. He offered his hand to Akira. 

“Thanks, man.”

Akira smiled. It was a firm handshake. One that declared a friendship. 

A tingling sensation began to grow from the back of Akira’s head, like marching ants, spread to his forehead. His eyes began to dull. A voice spoke. But it wasn’t Arsene. It was a young girl.

“I am thou, thou art I...thou hast acquired a new vow. It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakth thy chains of captivity. With the birth of the Chariot Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power....” 

Akira’s weakness still remained. Ryuji wasn’t responding to any of this. He was frozen in place, his arm still out. Akira’s head swivelled around the rooftop. Had he gone mad? Why was everything-

The answer stared at him. Igor. His grin was locked in that hideous position, his bulging eyes unblinking. 

“Wh-what did you do to him?”

Igor chuckled. It was one of his low, vaguely sinister ones.

“Congratulations, Trickster. You have formed a bond!”

“I don’t understand. You’re happy that I made a friend?”

“If that is what you call it.” Igor drummed his bony fingers on his desk, specks of dust shooting up. “The formation of bonds are a necessary component of your rehabilitation. I kindly request you to continue. It would be a shame for you to squander these chances. Especially in the eventual ruin that will approach humanity.”

“And what if I don’t?” Akira tried to sound defiant, but the quiver in his throat betrayed him.

“Failure to do so will result in your death. The Velvet Room’s existence is for rehabilitation and I am your warden. Your interactions in the overworld are merely moments on parole. When you sleep, you will never dream. You are my prisoner until your time is up.”

Akira slammed his hands on Igor’s desk, vitriol overtaking him.

“It’s a lie, Igor! I didn’t do anything!”

“That is not what humanity has shown me.” Igor responded, his voice unchanging. “As far as I’m concerned, Trickster, this is what you deserve. Prove to me otherwise.”

Igor vanished. Ryuji vanished.

Akira found himself chained by the table again. 

“Are you alright?” Sae asked. “Can you still speak?”


End file.
